(Web Desk Monitoring) — A new study by Singapore’s Nanyang Technological University (NTU) has revealed that approximately 135 million people died prematurely worldwide between 1980 and 2020 due to air pollution, according to AFP on Monday.

The study found that weather phenomena such as El Nino and the Indian Ocean Dipole exacerbated the effects of pollutants by increasing their concentration in the air. These pollutants include minute particles known as particulate matter 2.5, or “PM 2.5”, which have severe health impacts when inhaled, as they can easily enter the bloodstream.

PM 2.5 primarily originates from vehicle and industrial emissions, as well as fires and dust storms. NTU stated: “The fine particulate matter was associated with approximately 135 million premature deaths globally from 1980 to 2020.”

Published in the journal Environment International, the study indicates that many individuals died younger than the average life expectancy from treatable or preventable diseases, including stroke, heart and lung disease, and cancer. The findings suggest that weather patterns contributed to a 14% increase in these deaths.

“Our findings show that changes in climate patterns can make air pollution worse,” said Steve Yim, an associate professor at NTU’s Asian School of the Environment. “When certain climate events happen, like El Nino, pollution levels can rise, leading to more premature deaths due to PM 2.5 pollution.”

“This highlights the need to understand and account for these climate patterns when addressing air pollution to protect global health,” Yim added.